Frequently Asked Questions about First-Time Visits | J-CLINIC Acupuncture, Moxibustion and Chinese Medicine
Here are answers to some frequently asked questions from first-time visitors to our acupuncture, moxibustion and Chinese medicine department. (See also our FAQ about our physical therapy department.)
You’ll find further information through the related links.
FAQ
Treatments at J-CLINIC
Q.What treatments does J-CLINIC offer?
Q. What can be treated with acupuncture, moxibustion and Chinese medicine at J-CLINIC?
Making a appointment and opening hours
Q. Do I need an appointment?
Q. What are your opening hours?
Q. How long does a treatment session take?
Q. Do you offer home visits?
Pricing and payment
Q. How much does an initial visit cost?
Q. Do you offer packages or discount coupons?
Q. Is there an initial consultation fee for cupping alone?
Q. Do you offer any discounts?
Q. Can I pay by credit card?
Health insurance
Q. Will my insurance cover acupuncture treatment?
Acupuncture and moxibustion
Q. What are acupuncture and moxibustion?
Q. I am taking blood thinners to prevent heart attacks. Can I receive acupuncture treatment?
Q. Can I receive treatment while I am menstruating?
Q. I want to treat my frozen shoulder with acupuncture.
Q. Can you treat tinnitus?
Beauty acupuncture
If you feel unwell after treatment
Q. I had acupuncture 3 hours ago, and now I feel tired. What should I do?
Q. I feel sore in the area where I received acupuncture. Is this okay?
Q. I have small bruises where I received acupuncture. Is this okay?
Herbal medicine
Cupping
Q. Is cupping dry cupping? What effect does cupping have?
Gua sha
Q. What kind of treatment is gua sha?
Q. Can I get gua sha massage on the head only?
Fertility treatment
Q. Do you provide fertility treatment?
Parking
Others
Q. Do I have to tip my therapist?
Q. Can I bring my child with me?
Q. I’m studying traditional Chinese medicine in America and want to learn acupuncture techniques. I saw a Facebook post about training at J-CLINIC. Do you offer any training courses I could join?
J-CLINIC’s treamant
Q. What treatments does J-CLINIC offer?
We offer the following treatments.
1. Treatments grounded in physiotherapy, traditional Thai medicine, and traditional Chinese medicine :
- manual therapy (“massage”)
- manipulation (treatment to improve the range of motion of joints)
- electrotherapy
Each treatment is tailored to the patient, to help you recover from your injury, alleviate your symptoms, improve your motor function, and prevent recurrence.
2. Traditional Chinese medicine treatments
- acupuncture and moxibustion
- cupping
- gua sha
- Chinese herbal medicine
Our treatments are grounded in the theories of traditional Chinese medicine and aim to help you recover from illnesses and injuries, improve physical function, prevent recurrence, maintain health, and enhance well-being.
Q. What can be treated with acupuncture, moxibustion and Chinese medicine at J-CLINIC?
We can treat the following conditions:
insomnia, headache, PMS, irregular periods, menopausal symptoms, bloating, sensitivity to cold, constipation, anorexia, gastrointestinal problems, reflux gastritis, irritable bowel syndrome, infertility, postpartum disorder, allergic rhinitis, tinnitus, Bell’s palsy, panic disorder, autonomic imbalance, and wrinkles, sagging and dullness.
Related links
- Traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture treatment
- Traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture course
Making a appointment and opening hours
Q. Do I need an appointment?
Yes, our clinic is by appointment only. Please call us.
- Phrom Phong branch: 097-257-3577
- Thonglor branch: 084-424-1299
- Ekkamai branch: 097-245-7863
Related links
- We are also on LINE! Add J-CLINIC Official on LINE (each branch has its own QR code)
- J-CLINIC Facebook
- Contact form[Contact form]
Q. What are your opening hours?
We are open every day from 9:00 to 18:30. We are closed for the year-end/New Year holidays and occasionally for staff training and other reasons. Please check our Facebook page for updates.
Q. How long does a treatment session take?
Treatment sessions usually take between 45 minutes to 1 hour. It includes time for you to fill out a medical questionnaire, have a consultation with the medical doctor, change your clothes, and get treatment.
However, the session time can vary: your first session may take more than one hour, while some sessions may take less than 45 minutes depending on your symptoms (for example, when it’s better to avoid overstressing the injured area with excessive movement or pressure).
Related links
Q. Do you offer home visits?
No, we do not make home visits.
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Pricing and payment
Q. How much does an initial visit cost?
In most cases, the first visit will cost 2,100B. This includes the 500B initial visit fee and 1,600B acupuncture treatment.
Separate fees apply for:
- additional treatments such as herbal medicine or cupping
- multiple symptoms
- issuing a medical certificate
Fees also vary depending on the course. Please contact us if you need more details.
Q. Do you offer packages or discount coupons?
No, we do not offer packages or coupons.
We discontinued the sales of coupons in April 2024.
Q. Is there an initial consultation fee for cupping alone?
Yes, you will be charged an initial visit fee the first time you are seen at the acupuncture and Chinese medicine department, regardless of the type of treatment. That includes if you come for cupping only or for facial acupuncture, for example.
If you have already been treated in our physiotherapy department before coming for acupuncture, moxibustion and Chinese medicine, you will not be charged an initial visit fee.
Q. Do you offer any discounts?
We do not offer discounts on treatment fees.
- Former discounts were discontinued on July 1, 2024.
- Former referral discounts were discontinued on June 1, 2023.
Related links
Q. Can I pay by credit card?
Yes, you can pay by credit card. However, we do not accept American Express. You can also pay by cash and QR code (bank transfer).
Health insurance
Q. Will my insurance cover acupuncture treatment?
We cannot determine whether your insurance company will cover acupuncture treatment. Please ask your insurance company before coming to J-CLINIC. In our experience, many insurance companies do not cover acupuncture.
If your insurance does cover acupuncture, please carefully check what documents you need for your claim. For example, some insurance companies require a medicate certificate from a medical doctor (MD). However, if you are treated at our acupuncture and Chinese medicine department, we can only issue a certificate from a doctor of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM doctor).
Please see below for more information and contact us if you have further questions.
Related links
Acupuncture and moxibustion
Q. What are acupuncture and moxibustion?
Acupuncture involves inserting very thin needles in specific points (acupuncture points) on the body, while moxibustion involves placing and burning moxa (a type of herb) on the acupuncture points. Both acupuncture and moxibustion stimulate the body’s natural healing power to address your symptoms and reduce discomfort.
If appropriate for your symptoms, we may also pass weak, low-frequency electrical currents through the needles, which passively moves your deep muscles and alleviates tension.
We use disposable, thin needles (0.1 mm for facial treatments and 0.16 to 0.25 mm for body treatments) and Japanese-style needles that cause minimal pain.
Q. I am taking blood thinners to prevent heart attacks. Can I receive acupuncture treatment?
You cannot get acupuncture at J-CLINIC if you take certain vascular or blood disorder medications. Although bleeding from acupuncture is rare, these medications may lower your ability to form scabs and place you at a higher risk of bleeding.
You cannot get acupuncture at J-CLINIC if you take any of the following:
– anticoagulants (prescribed for arterial and venous thrombosis)
- dabigatran
- warfarin
- rivaroxaban
- apixaban
- heparin
– antiplatelet drugs (prescribed for arterial disease)
- aspirin
- clopidogrel
– thrombolytics (prescribed for arterial and venous thrombosis)
- streptokinase
- reteplase
- alteplase
- tenecteplase
Who cannot get acupuncture, cupping, gua sha, or Chinese medicine prescriptions
You cannot receive treatment if you have any of the following diseases or conditions. (For restrictions to physiotherapy, please refer to the physical therapy department FAQ .)
| Treatment methods | People with the following cannot be treated |
| Acupuncture | Acute febrile illness[1], acute infectious disease, cancer[2] and other malignant tumors, peritonitis, appendicitis, bleeding disorders, trauma[3] (injuries, fractures, dislocations), vascular diseases[5] (aneurysms, severe arteriosclerosis), blood disorders[5] (hemophilia, coagulation disorders), pregnancy[6], acute sepsis, infected wounds, metal allergies, presence of implanted electronic devices such as pacemakers[7] |
| Cupping therapy | Acute febrile illness[1], acute infectious disease, cancer[2] and other malignant tumors, peritonitis, appendicitis, bleeding disorders, trauma[3] (injuries, fractures, dislocations), nephritis, vascular diseases (aneurysms, severe arteriosclerosis), blood disorders (hemophilia, coagulation disorders), pregnancy, acute sepsis, infected wounds, bloodborne infections such as hepatitis B or HIV |
| Gua sha | Acute febrile illness[1], acute infectious disease, cancer[2] and other malignant tumors, peritonitis, appendicitis, bleeding disorders, trauma[3] (injuries, fractures, dislocations), nephritis, vascular diseases (aneurysms, severe arteriosclerosis), blood disorders (hemophilia, coagulation disorders), pregnancy[4], acute sepsis, infected wounds, bloodborne infections such as hepatitis B or HIV |
| Herbal medicine | Acute infectious diseases, cancer[8] and other malignant tumors, peritonitis, appendicitis, bleeding disorders, vascular diseases (aneurysms, severe arteriosclerosis), blood disorders (hemophilia, coagulation disorders), acute sepsis, infected wounds |
[1] If you have a temperature of 38.5 degrees Celsius or higher, you cannot receive treatment. If your fever is caused by a bacterial or viral infection, even if your temperature is below 38.5 degrees, you cannot be treated at J-CLINIC. In some cases (for example, your fever is due to stress or overwork), treatment may be possible; please consult your doctor or therapist.
[2] Treatment enhances blood and lymph flow and may increase the risk of the cancer metastasizing.
[3] You cannot get treatment on the injury site and surrounding areas, but can be treated on other parts of your body.
[4] Once you are in your second trimester you can receive treatment, except on the abdomen and lower back.
[5] If you take certain vascular or blood disorder medications, you cannot receive acupuncture. Please see the question above “Q. I am taking blood thinners to prevent heart attacks . Can I receive acupuncture treatment?”
[6] As a rule, we do not perform acupuncture if you are pregnant. However, once you are in your second trimester, you can get cosmetic acupuncture (but not electroacupuncture). For conditions like morning sickness or breech presentation, treatment is primarily through moxibustion, but low-stimulation acupuncture may be performed depending on your condition (treatment will not be done on the abdomen or lower back).
[7] You can get acupuncture but not electroacupuncture.
[8] Herbal medicines may be prescribed to alleviate the side effects of chemotherapy or radiation therapy, or to bolster physical strength after surgery.
Please consult your doctor or therapist if you have high or low blood pressure or any concerns about existing illnesses or your medical history.
Q. Can I receive treatment while I am menstruating?
You can receive acupuncture treatment during your menstrual period. Acupuncture can relieve symptoms of PMS and menstrual pain.
Cupping: It is best to avoid cupping during the first 3 days of your period. It is okay after the 4th day.
Herbal saunas should be avoided if your body is hot or you feel flushed.
Q. I want to treat my frozen shoulder with acupuncture.
For frozen shoulder, we often propose combining acupuncture with physiotherapy treatment (manual therapy and ultrasound treatment).
Acupuncture stimulates the affected area and improves blood flow, which gives you better range of motion and pain relief. However, the pain may be due to misalignment/distortions in your body, which is better addressed by physical therapy. Therefore, we recommend combining acupuncture with physical therapy treatment.
We’ll first ask in detail about your pain and examine your movement, range of motion, and the depth of your pain. Based on that, we’ll propose a treatment plan aimed at the root cause of your pain.
Related links
Q. Can you treat tinnitus?
Yes, we can treat tinnitus. Many of our patients come for acupuncture when their tinnitus medicines don’t work or when hospital exams don’t find anything wrong.
Often, the tinnitus is caused by a deterioration of blood flow around the ear from excessive stress or stiff shoulders, and from aging.
Acupuncture is used to relax the muscles around the ears and the connected muscles in the neck and shoulders. Acupuncture on the limbs, abdomen, and back will further improve blood flow in the body.
When you make an appointment, please let us know how long you have had tinnitus. If it’s been more than 3 months since the tinnitus began, it may be more difficult to cure or take longer to heal.
Beauty acupuncture
Q. Can I get laser blemish-removal treatment* a few days after I get cosmetic acupuncture? I’ll be traveling to Bangkok for a week and hope to get both while I’m there.
While you probably can get laser blemish-removal treatment one or two days after cosmetic acupuncture, we would prefer to advise you based on your skin condition after the cosmetic acupuncture treatment.
Also, depending on the type of laser, it may be best to wait one or two weeks after laser treatment before undergoing cosmetic acupuncture to allow the skin to recover before treatment.
*We do not offer laser treatment.
Cupping
Q. What is cupping treatment?
For cupping, we put alcohol inside glass cups, ignite it, and then quickly apply the cups to the body surface, creating a vacuum inside. This draws stagnant blood (stasis) to the surface and improves blood circulation.
Cupping can be effective in cleansing blood, promoting blood circulation, and eliminating waste products. It can help alleviate symptoms caused by poor blood circulation, such as stiff shoulders, back pain, swelling, fatigue, headaches, and autonomic imbalance.
You can watch a video of the treatment.
Q. Is the cupping therapy at J-CLINIC dry cupping?
J-CLINIC can perform both dry and wet cupping.
However, for wet cupping, the doctor will examine your constitution and symptoms before deciding whether or not to perform the procedure.
Gua sha
Q. What kind of treatment is gua sha?
In gua sha, we stroke your skin along the meridians and acupuncture points with a smooth tool made of jade and animal horn. This therapy improves your blood and lymph circulation.
- Facial gua sha activates your facial muscles, improves your cells’ metabolic efficiency, and adjusts the balance of moisture and oil under your skin. It can also counter the dark circles under your eyes.
- Body massage with gua sha relieves stiff neck and shoulders, headaches, migraines, and other symptoms.
Q. Can I get gua sha massage on the head only?
Yes, you can get gua sha massage on your head only. For head-only gua sha, we do not use oil.
When you make an appointment, please let us know of any symptoms you are suffering from. For example, if you would like gua sha massage to treat a headache, we may recommend that you have a neck massage as well as a head massage.
Gua sha massage
Gua sha massage costs 800B / session (30 minutes).
* For first-time patients, there is also an initial consultation fee of 500B.
Herbal medicine
Q. My body feels good with the herbal medicine I was prescribed last time. Can you prescribe the same one?
Even if you feel better on your current Chinese herbal medicine or feel that it is right for your body, we still ask that you undergo a medical interview before we prescribe more medicine. There may be changes in your body that you’re not aware of. Even the seasons can affect your physical condition.
The doctor of traditional Chinese medicine will check for changes in your physical condition by examining your pulse and tongue and fine-tune the formula.
The herbal medicine we prescribe is in powder form, made from the extract of crude drugs. We can prescribe enough for one to two weeks at a time, according to your symptoms.
Fertility
Q. Do you provide fertility treatment?
Yes, we offer fertility treatment through acupuncture and moxibustion therapy, based on traditional Chinese medicine. We help you improve your physical condition so your body can become “ready for pregnancy.”
We also offer acupuncture and moxibustion treatment aimed at improving the pregnancy rate for those who are undergoing artificial insemination, in vitro fertilization, and ICSI treatment at fertility hospitals and clinics.
* If you have fertility issues, we recommend that you see a fertility specialist. The specialist can teach you how to make a basal body temperature chart and test your cervical mucus. They can also administer tests like general semen analysis and postcoital test (Sims-Huhner test) and do a hysterosalpingogram and transvaginal ultrasound to see if there are any causes of infertility from a Western medical perspective. (These tests are not available at J-CLINIC.)
If you feel unwell after treatment
If you feel unwell after treatment
Q. I had acupuncture 3 hours ago, and now I feel tired. What should I do?
After acupuncture or cupping, some people may feel tired or sleepy, or get a fever. If you experience any of these, please drink plenty of water and rest to help you recover naturally.
These symptoms may be triggered because the treatment activates sluggish cells, improves lymph and blood circulation, and causes rapid changes in the body as waste and fatigue toxins are discharged all at once.
People more likely to experience these symptoms include those who are sensitive to stimulation, have low physical strength, or have been chronically ill and are receiving treatment for the first time or after a long break.
Q. I feel sore in the area where I received acupuncture. Is this okay?
Yes, this is normal and no cause for worry. When acupuncture is performed on tense muscles, you may feel tightness or pain, but this sensation typically disappears naturally a few hours after the needles are removed.
Q. I have small bruises where I received acupuncture. Is this okay?
Yes, this is normal and no cause for worry. With acupuncture, you may experience bruising at the needle site, depending on your constitution, physical condition, and needle placement. The bruises typically fade and disappear within 1 to 2 weeks.
Parking
Q. Do you have parking?
Yes, all of our clinics have parking. Please get your parking ticket stamped at our reception desk. Parking fee rules differ by location and for motorcycles and cars. If you park for longer than the specified free time, you are responsible for the excess parking fees. Please refer to the table below for details.
Parking fees for each clinic
Phrom Phong Clinic (4th floor, RSU Tower, Sukhumvit Soi 31 )
Cars
- 40B per hour (free of charge for the first 20 minutes)
- 2 hours free for one treatment at J-CLINIC (one stamp on the parking ticket)
- 4 hours free for two treatments (e.g., one treatment at the physical therapy department and another at the acupuncture and Chinese medicine department; two stamps on the parking ticket)
Motorcycles
- Free for the first 20 minutes, 20B for the rest of the day
- Patients are responsible for the parking fee beyond the first 20 minutes
Thonglor Clinic (B1F, Home Place Building, Thonglor Soi 13)
Cars
- 50B per hour
- 4 hours free for treatment at J-CLINIC (one stamp on the parking ticket)
- Patients are responsible for parking fees after the first 4 hours (30B per hour)
Motorcycles
- Free parking if you inform the security guard that you are visiting J-CLINIC
- Parking is not allowed if you do not use the services in Home Place Building
Ekamai Clinic (3rd floor, Bangkok Mediplex, Sukhumvit Soi 42)
Cars
- 40B per hour (free of charge for the first 15 minutes)
- 3 hours free for one treatment at J-CLINIC (one stamp on the parking ticket)
- Patients are responsible for parking fees after the first 3 hours.
Motorcycle
- Free all-day parking with stamped parking ticket (one stamp on the ticket).
- Parking is not allowed if you do not use the services in Bangkok Mediplex．
Others
Q. Do I have to tip my therapist?
We are a clinic and do not accept tips. We appreciate the gesture but any tips will be declined.
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Q. Can I bring my child with me?
Yes, you are welcome to bring your child. All three J-CLINIC branches are equipped with private rooms for children and babies. Please let us know when you make your appointment. (We see patients by appointment only.)
Q. I’m studying traditional Chinese medicine in America and want to learn acupuncture techniques. I saw a Facebook post about training at J-CLINIC. Do you offer any training courses I could join?
No, we do not offer any training courses, on acupuncture or traditional Chinese medicine. The posts you see on Facebook are of our staff, Thai-licensed doctors of traditional Chinese medicine, receiving regular technical guidance.
We also do not hire non-Thai nationals, nor do we offer internships.
- Update:8/12/2024